Framing the conversation: there seems to be a gap between us and our readers

My colleagues (apartmentmates) have begun their articles with a moment of audience relation to the topic they were going to discuss. I'm going to avoid that. In fact, I'm going to avoid the usual pattern of events and take a moment to discuss "The birds and the bees" with you.

Apartment 507 consists of me (Mycal Kelly), the two sociologists whom you've read during the past two weeks (Terance Trammell and Anthony Hatch) and the philosopher (Lamarc C.). This column was started as a way to share the observations we've been making during the past four years here at the University of Richmond.

To be blunt, this column is about, as I call it, "the Hunt." The Hunt is the interaction(s) we suffer in the hope of achieving some kind of physical satisfaction. There is a huge spectrum of what "physical satisfaction" can be. I'll leave you to define it as it pleases you.

Regardless of your end goal, there is a clear moment when you are involved in the Hunt. There are socially predetermined roles that we are expected to play, but (let's be honest, ladies!) women are not always prey. That being said, we can go on

knowing there are hunters and huntresses.

I'm sure I will be the only one to be so direct about how this column works ... if only because I'm the only one that will work it that way. There are a lot of considerations that go into writing this kind of column, hence why "Sally Sexpert" is so named.

When you drift into the realms of discussing your personal perspective on sex and relationships, you run the risk of alienating the subjects of your desire. Take note of that wording! With that risk in mind, there are times when you write politically instead of deliberately. A shame that you didn't reread Anthony's article with time to reflect, not on the fact that you have an image of the author in mind, but with an open mind that there might be insight in the thought put into the writing.

It is not with audacity that we are writing these articles. I will present my commentary on the Hunt when it is my turn to submit, but none of our articles are claiming to be the end-all, be-all on any of these issues.

I would hope that you can disagree at some point or another. You should do so. In fact, submit to The Collegian and lay out your argument, but please don't confuse your primal instinct to defend your actions with a legitimate argument against our articles. I've already caught two readers doing this very thing. Only two questions later were the admissions of the truth in Terance's article pouring out.

Apartment 507 is using this section to bridge a communication gap that exists between people that want to do things to other people. The miscommunication often stems from societal influences that force us to ferret away our desires and dance around the Hunt instead of facing it head on.

Yes, you are texting him or her, but no, you are not actually being honest with yourself. (S)He is trying his or her hardest to get in your pants. And on the other side of the conversation, (s)he is trying his or her hardest to create a situation that will achieve the desired goals of how you will interact from that day forward. You both want something. One of you just might want it for more than just that one night.

Let's be honest. Please, let us be honest. Because 700 words is not nearly enough to explain to you that your idea of playing coy and/or your confidence that your "game" is airtight is a part of the larger game of "Tag." In more space, there is a chance you will have ample time to be convinced that there is a strategy to the dichotomy of weekday and weekend discussions. It's not just that the party atmosphere makes you friendlier.